Dupont Corian Awards - Vertebrae Stair

The concept of the Vertebrae Stair was to create a central spine and focal point within the space that would connect the main living area with the rooftop penthouse enclosure, drawing visitors up towards the deck above. Corian was chosen for many of its intrinsic qualities. First of which, its ability to flow and wrap surfaces in an organic nature. In this application, the Corian not only wraps each cantilevered stair tread, it then forms the middle landing, wall, ceiling, and the finished floor surface above. Its ability to form “seamless” connections and transitions was paramount to the overall effect of the stairwell – the stair and complete space as an object. Corian was also the ideal material in terms of its color and light reflectance. This luxury apartment was designed to transform into a “nightclub” experience, with dramatic lighting and visual effects. IB+A designed custom light fixtures to be installed in the black glass feature wall adjoining the stair. At night, these lights illuminate the Corian with dramatic colors, giving it the appearance of a glowing object. During the day, natural light from the penthouse windows above reflects down the stairwell into the main living space, helping to benefit from the unobstructed natural light of the rooftop deck.